


Summer Relfections

by RizzV825



Category: Pitch Perfect (Movies)
Genre: F/F, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-09
Updated: 2021-01-20
Packaged: 2021-03-06 04:21:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 16,691
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25807297
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RizzV825/pseuds/RizzV825
Summary: The summer after their freshman year, Beca explores her relationship with Chloe further, while Sarah and Aubrey agree to go into grief counseling together. This is a time where hopefully all involved can move forward, and maybe learn something new about one another. I don't own any characters expect my OC. Hope you enjoy.
Relationships: Chloe Beale/Beca Mitchell
Kudos: 3





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is a follow up to "Through Her Eyes" taking place between the first and second movie. Had some imput from nweeks3 on this one. Don't own any characters, besides my OC. Feel free to review. Hope you enjoy.

Summer Reflections

Sarah quietly made her way through the kitchen, the counter filled with sympathy cards, and whatever food was left after her mother's funeral. She wondered where the tradition came from to offer your condolences with a cheese danish, like that was supposed to make everything better. Sarah roamed through the house not wanting to read the cards from her family. They meant well of course, and offered to help in anyway they could, but mostly the act of kindness seemed to be out of tradition. They were going through the motions as most may do at a funeral. It was all anyone could do to retain their own sanity or perhaps not to think about it. Nobody really likes to think about death. For many it was a frightening force that no one could control, and also an unsettling reminder that someday it would happen to them. Maybe gathering around hourderves was some peoples best way of coping.

Sarah sat out on her porch, watching as the sun began to set. It was quiet and peaceful out here. A calming sight you could count on seeing at least once a day if you were lucky. The young girl sat there in silence just trying to figure out how she'd ever be able to accept this new normal. Mary Evelyn Klein was no longer here with the people who loved her most, and whether they liked it or not, the family would have to find a way to get along without her. This woman meant everything to those around her, to her fellow teachers, the kids in the orchestra, and to her loving husband and daughter. Without her they would always feel like apart of them was missing. Sarah couldn't think about the days ahead of her, and right now she didn't want to. Soon her father, John came to find her out on the porch. He was trying so hard to keep things together for Sarah, and whatever he had to do he would get his daughter through this. She glanced over to offer him a weary smile.

"Hey Dad."

"Hi Sweetheart." John said joining her on the bench, kissing the top of her head.

"Rabi Kaizer, says he's around if we need anything. He offered to pick up dinner for us, but I told him we'd be okay for now."

"Does it ever bother you that our Rabi is named after a dinner roll?" Sarah joked.

It was a joke that felt to Sarah not as a manner of dry wit, but a means of trying to regain some semblance of normal. It was a habit she had, to try and block out anything that was bothering her. Only this time it wasn't really working.

"I don't know if it was his name or the fact that he continues to wear a robe that is too long for him. I'm waiting for him to step on the end, and face plant one of these days. Your mom said she'd likely be the first to shout 'Rabi down!' "

They both chuckled at the memory. It felt good to remember the good things about Mary. She could always make anybody laugh when they needed to. Sarah always wanted to remember how sweet, funny and generous her mother was.

Present day

Sarah was back home now after completing her Freshmen year at Barden. It's been a little over a year since her mother passed away, and sitting on the front porch of her home it feels like little has changed. It's still just as hard to wake up everyday, and be here in her home knowing her mother is really gone. Coming back to see her dad was tough, but she knew she had to, and truthfully it was good to see him. Sarah wasn't expecting it to actually make her feel better. They really needed each other through this time, and she no longer wanted her father to feel like he'd lost her too. The two of them smiled through their tears as they embraced one another. John worried about Sarah for awhile, and wanted to see her get through this. He was grateful that she at least had Beca with her when she went off to college. He was proud of her for taking the step to go away to school, and happy to see her meld easily with the orchestra, and with the Bellas.

Sarah went back inside, and up to her room. For the time being she was avoiding the rest of the house except for the kitchen, and the bathroom. It was best for her right now to not be reminded that her mother would no longer touch these surfaces in her home. She was able to take solace in her room where she flopped down on her bed, opened her phone, and began flipping through Facebook. It was easy to pass the time sifting through funny memes, and laughing at people who post a picture of their sandwich. Sarah never posted too much on Facebook, but it was fun to see what others did. Soon she came across a post from Aubrey. It was a picture of a cute kitten resting atop his dog companion with the caption 'All you need in this life is a good friend.' Sarah liked the photo, and continued through her news feed. Moments later she heard the familiar Facebook messenger ding. The message was from Aubrey.

Aubrey: Hey, how are you doing?

Sarah: Not bad.

Aubrey: How's your summer going so far?

Sarah: It's okay. Working part time at the music shop. Other than that not too much is going on. You?

Aubrey: Yeah, I'm still working at the lodge.

Sarah: I saw that post awhile back. How's that going?

Aubrey: It's pretty good. I'm just walking with tour groups, and doing some grunt work at the moment, but it has management opportunities.

Sarah: Well good luck with that.

Aubrey: Thanks. Hey you doing anything this weekend?

Sarah: Nothing so far.

Aubrey: You wanna hang out, maybe get something to eat?

Sarah: Sure.

Aubrey: Cool, I'll text you over the weekend.

Sarah: Okay, talk to you soon.

Aubrey: You too, bye.

Sarah: Bye.

It was good to hear from Aubrey, and know she was doing well. The two hadn't really hung out alone before, but Sarah was looking forward to it.

The following Saturday, Sarah met Aubrey for lunch at the diner down the street from her house. She saw Aubrey already sitting at the table and greeted her with a hug. This is a more relaxed setting for these two outside of school, and the pressures of exams and Bella competition, and Sarah hoped they could spend this summer getting to know each other better. After their orders were placed, the two took a moment to catch up.

"So, are you enjoying post grad life?" Sarah asked.

"Yeah, It's been really good so far, though I've been missing the Bellas a lot. It's been a normal part of my life for so long."

"I know what you mean. I'm really glad I joined this group with Beca. These girls are really great."

"They are. It made my last year really fun." Aubrey said.

The food finally arrived, and they continued to talk. It was hard not to address the elephant in the room concerning the main thing the two had in common.

"So how's it been being back home and seeing your dad?" Aubrey asked.

"Okay, for the most part. It's been good to see him, although I've spent most of the time in my room. It's hard to look around the house knowing my mom is really gone."

"I definitely know what that is like." Aubrey said. " I was so young when my mom died, and my dad wasn't really good at dealing with the whole situation. I don't think he knew what to do either."

"It must have been hard for all of you. I think that's what kept me from talking to my dad for awhile. I was afraid of reminding him of what happened and upsetting him."

"Did you ever try grief counseling?" Aubrey asked.

"Hmm...no. Several people have suggested it to me, but I think it would be too weird to talk to a stranger."

"It might help to get an outside perspective." Aubrey told her.

"I don't know if I can think of what I want to say." Sarah said.

"I'll tell you what. If you'll go, I'll go with you."

"I'll think about it." Sarah said.

" Okay, well let me know your decision either way."

"I will." Sarah said.

Later that day in her bedroom, Sarah looked around online for group counseling sessions. She's given a lot of thought to their conversation, and maybe counseling would help. It was worth a shot, and she didn't have to share what she didn't want to. After thinking about it for awhile, she finally decided to call one of the numbers, and book a session.

By Tuesday afternoon Sarah and Beca had a free afternoon, and were able to meet for lunch. Since their time together in highschool and college, this summer while working part time jobs is probably the first time the two friends haven't spent almost everyday together, so it was nice when they got to hang out and relax. With Beca in a serious relationship, and Sarah learning that she can be independent and do things on her own, the girls are taking steps into adulthood and are changing for the better. Beca has been really happy being with Chloe, and it shows.

"So, I guess things are going well with Chloe?"

"Yeah, she's really great." Beca nodded. "Somehow she get's me to do things I never thought I would and I'm not mad about that."

"Like what kind of things?"

"Well, over the weekend we went and sang karaoke." Beca told her while Sarah grinned in disbelief.

"Stop it. You went and sang karaoke?" Sarah chuckled.

"Yeah, she said she hasn't gone in a long time, and I couldn't say no."

"What'd you guys sing?" Sarah asked.

"You're The One That I Want from "Grease"."

"Wow really?" Sarah laughed. "I'm so sorry I missed that."

"Yeah, we were a pretty big hit, and Chloe had a really great time."

Sarah really liked seeing Beca like this with someone she really cared about. Beca is her best friend and a good person, so Sarah thought Beca deserved to be happy.

"So what did you do over the weekend?" Beca asked.

"I talked to Aubrey."

"Really, what about?"

"Not much, mostly work. She suggested going to grief counseling." Sarah told her.

"Oh wow. So are you gonna go?"

"I made an appointment after Aubrey said she'd go too, but I still feel uneasy about it." Sarah said.

"I think it'll be good for you. You should definitely do it."

"I know." Sarah nodded. "I'm a little scared, but at least somebody I know will be there."

"You'll call and let me know how it goes?" Beca asked.

"Yeah." Sarah nodded.

Sarah wasn't the least bit confident about talking to a roomful of people about her mother's death, and reliving all that pain, but it was a big step in moving forward which is what Sarah wanted to do.

Aubrey is at home after her workday going over her schedule for the upcoming tour groups who will be staying at the lodge. So far the job has been rewarding for Aubrey, being able to put her best skills to good use, and it's kept her busy which is one thing that keeps Aubrey from being stressed. Many people have noticed a difference in Aubrey since graduating from Barden. They see an Aubrey that although is still a perfectionist, she's stopped caring about what other people think, and is only worrying about what she can control. The lodge has programs meant to teach people how to work together, and it has also taught Aubrey a thing or two about being a team player. She's seen how valuable these experiences have been to those who've attended, and Aubrey has taken those experiences to heart.

Everything looks good with the schedule, so Aubrey shuts down her laptop, and prepares for bed. Over on the bookshelf, Aubrey spots a familiar photo album, pulls it out and begins flipping through it. They were pictures she hasn't looked through in awhile of Aubrey with her mom when she was little. Aubrey stopped on a photo of herself standing in the front yard with her mom on her first day of kindergarten. Aubrey wore a blue dress with pink flowers that she picked out herself, and had her hair curled just like her mom's. Next to that one was a photo of Aubrey, her mom, and her older brother, Michael in the back yard during a Fourth of July barbecue. While Michael followed in their father's footsteps and enlisted in the military, Aubrey really bonded with their mom. Marie Posen loved to sing her whole life and has passed her love of music down to her daughter. They always sang together when Aubrey was little, and Aubrey will never forget those times. It's hard to believe Aubrey's mom has been gone for almost eleven years now. Even though she has cried, Aubrey never really dealt with her mother's death. Her dad wasn't good at dealing with emotions, and Aubrey was so young at the time, so she didn't really know how to process the whole thing. Thinking about the meeting tomorrow made Aubrey nervous. It was something she promised Sarah she would do with her, and she intended to keep her word. Still Aubrey layed there, worrying about what old feelings this would bring up.

Sarah and Aubrey both walked into the counseling session feeling very nervous, yet they kept telling themselves that this would be good for them, and it was a step both girls needed to take. They both quietly entered the room, made a cup of coffee and took a seat with the group. The girls listened to others in the group with stories not unlike their own. There was a guy named Marty, who lost his wife in a car accident while he was driving. It took a long time for him to seek out help, and to this day he still blames himself for what happened. Another woman, Shelly lost her son when he lost his battle with Cystic Fibrosis at the age of nineteen, and a boy who lost his father who worked in construction, and suffered fatal injuries at his job when he fell three stories off the structure being built. All of these people expressed feelings of emptiness, despair, and a sense of hopelessness wondering how something like this could happen to them, and some wondering if there was more they could have done to prevent this.

At some point, the group looked over to their two newcomers, and both girls froze. Aubrey smiled nervously while Sarah sat wringing her hands. Aubrey decided to break the silence and tell her story first.

"Hi, I'm Aubrey. Well...when I was eleven I lost my mom to Congestive Heart Failure. My dad told me about it when I came home from school that day, and it kind of took everybody by surprise. We knew she was feeling sick for awhile, but I don't think any of us expected that it was anything serious enough to kill her."

Sarah laid a hand on top of Aubrey's after she told her story. She could definitely relate to her mother's illness coming out of nowhere. Many group members were sympathetic to Aubrey losing her mother at such a young age. At this point, it was Sarah's turn to speak and it couldn't be avoided any longer.

"I'm Sarah. My mom died when I was seventeen. She had a brain tumor. The doctor said it was a low grade tumor and that's likely why it wasn't caught right away."

Sarah bit her nails trying to figure out how to continue. It's been almost a year and a half since her mother died, but most of it still feels like it happened yesterday.

"Uhm...well my dad and I were really shocked when it happened. It's taken a long time for me to talk with him about her death. As much as I love him, it was always easier to talk to my mom about things. We were alway really close; she and I could share anything."

Aubrey could definitely relate to that. She could never relate to her military father, and her mother was the one who could offer her comfort while growing up. This was all really tough to talk about, but the girls did okay and they were really proud of themselves. The other members of the group felt for them, and were there to listen while sharing similar experiences.

Sarah and Aubrey had a good first session this afternoon. It was emotional, but they both were happy to have gotten through it. While Aubrey was driving Sarah home, she was talking about some stuff they could do together, because Aubrey wanted to take this time to get to know Sarah more. She wanted to figure out more about her, and not go by what she has prejudged in the past. When Sarah got back to her house, she couldn't wait to fill her father in.

"Dad, I'm home."

"Hi, Honey. How'd it go today?"

"Not bad. I shared the basics with them about what happened to Mom. It kind of felt weird talking to people I didn't know about her, but at least Aubrey was there with me."

"That's good, Honey. I think this will be really good for you."

"Yeah, I guess it's going good so far. Still feels weird, but I'm hoping for the best."

"That's all we can do, Sweetie."

With that Sarah and John went to have dinner and just enjoy each others company. John was proud of his daughter for seeking out help, knowing the hard time she's had dealing with her mother's death. It wasn't easy for Sarah to share her feelings with most people beside Beca and her mother, but John was glad to see her have support while attending counseling. Maybe it would help her become more open, and get her to express herself more easily.

While spending a day at the beach, Beca and Chloe were sitting in their sand chairs looking out at the water. Their summer has been going great so far, and since they've started dating, Beca and Chloe have enjoyed this time together.

"Man, I love it out here. It's finally a hot enough day to get a good tan."Chloe said.

"And of course the best part, cooling off in the water."Beca added.

"Definitely." Chloe said."So, have you heard how Sarah is doing with her grief counselor?"

"Aubrey's been helping her out a lot these past few days. She's only been to one meeting so far, but Sarah told me the session went well."Beca said.

"That's good. I hope it continues that way."

"I'm glad she's doing this. I think It'll be good for her." Beca said.

Beca knows the hard time Sarah has had going through her mother's death and how hard it's been for her to come to grips with it. During their freshmen year at Barden despite everything that's happened, Beca has seen a positive change in Sarah. Joining the Bellas wouldn't have been Beca's first idea nor Sarah's, but meeting these girls has been the best part of college, and has given them a support system that has stuck with them for the better part of this year. Maybe for Sarah it will be a good thing to get to know Aubrey better, and to know someone who knows her pain personally.


	2. Chapter 2

So far Aubrey and Sarah have been to a couple grief counseling sessions, and it has allowed them to open up and remember things about their mom's that they haven't thought about in a long time. While the girls are at another session with the group, Aubrey is sharing some memories about her mom.

"My mom was a big holiday person. For years, she and I went trick-or-treating together, but after she started feeling sick, my mom told me she wasn't up to it. I was very sad because I thought it would end up being the worst Halloween of my life.

October 31st, 2000...

As the school day ended, Aubrey made her way home thinking about Halloween this year and not feeling too optimistic about things. As she comes in the front door setting her backpack down, she sees her brother, Michael at the kitchen table.

"Hi, Aubrey."

"Hey."Aubrey said, bummed.

"What's wrong with you?"

"I don't have anyone to go trick-or-treating with this year."

"Don't you usually go with mom?"Michael asked.

"Yeah, but she's feeling sick this year, so shes not up to it."Aubrey told him. Will you go with me?" She asked, hopefully.

"Well, I guess if you need someone to go trick-or-treating with, I could accompany you tonight."Michael suggested to which Aubrey immediately lit up.

"Really?! OH, MY GOD, MICHAEL, YOU'RE THE BEST BROTHER EVER!"Aubrey said as she hugged her big brother.

"Great. We can leave after dinner."Michael said.

"Cool. I'm looking forward to it."Aubrey said as she grabbed her things and went upstairs.

"Yeah, as long as you save me some Reese's cups."

"Deal."Aubrey agreed.

Present Day…

After the session, Aubrey and Sarah went to lunch while Aubrey talked more about her brother.

"Despite that year's Halloween starting off as a downer, it turned out to be a really good time. All thanks to Michael."Aubrey told Sarah.

"Sounds like he was a good brother."

"Yeah, it was great to hang out with him when we were kids. When he was sixteen, he went to military school like our father did, and then I didn't see him as much. That was hard because I really missed him" Aubrey explained.

"I didn't have siblings growing up, so Beca was the closest I had to a sister." Sarah told Aubrey. "I guess that was one of the main things we bonded over. We were both only children and the weird kids in school, so we always had each other."

"She's definitely a good friend to you. It was evident from the time we met."Aubrey said.

"She always has been. I don't know what I'd do without her."

This summer so far has given both Sarah and Aubrey the chance to know more about each other, and to see things they hadn't before. There is definitely more to see than just the surface.

It has now been a few weeks since Sarah and Aubrey started seeing a grief counselor, and while it's been a work in progress thus far, attending the group session has been helpful. Sarah has been apprehensive about opening up and is still getting to know the other group members, but it's been comforting to have Aubrey there with her, and Sarah is ultimately glad she agreed to it. Aubrey is proud of Sarah for taking this step, and wanted to do something nice for her by treating her to some relaxation.

"Thanks for this spa day, Aubrey. I could really use it."

"No problem. Next to yoga, I think of going to the spa as a way to keep my stress level down."

"Well, it definitely is for me." Sarah said. " So, what are we gonna to get today?"

"I figured we could start with manis and pedis, and then we could both get massages."

"Sounds good to me. Bring it on."Sarah said.

The spa day has been going amazing so far. It was a time for them not to think about work or what else was stressing them out. They could just zone out and enjoy their day of pampering.

"So, it looks like things are going well with our grief counselor."Aubrey said.

"Thanks so much for coming with me. I wouldn't want to do this alone."

"No problem."

Sarah looked down at Aubrey's burgundy toenails.

"Wow, that looks really great on you."Sarah said.

"Looks like I picked a good color."

"I think so too. This is the perfect color for both of us."

"What do you say we get the same color for our fingernails."Aubrey suggested.

"Sounds like a good plan."Sarah said.

Soon it was onto their massages which Sarah thoroughly enjoyed. She didn't normally do things like this and it was a nice treat for the day. She'd definitely have to do this again sometime.

Meanwhile at a park, Beca and Chloe were walking along a trail, thinking about their lives and their future.

"So Beca, I was wondering something."

"What's that?"

"Well, I don't want to be a downer, but after graduation do you ever think about what you'll do if your dream job doesn't work out? Not that I think it won't...but do you?"Chloe asked.

"First of all, don't jinx me!" Beca chuckled. "Second, well… sometimes I do, but I try not to. Why do you ask?"

"I get scared sometimes." Chloe said. "I've been with the Bellas so long and I guess I'm afraid of what comes after."

"Well, I know I'll be trying to stay in touch with the Bellas as much as possible. So we'll never really be without them." Beca said. "It's so crazy to think about everything that's happened. A year ago when I came to Barden, I never expected to meet a group of ladies who'd eventually become my best friends. I especially never thought I'd meet someone as great as you for that matter."

Chloe smiled at Beca's declaration. Beca was pretty great to her too.

"And look what happened."Chloe said, winking at Beca as they both chuckled.

"Seriously, when I first saw you at the Activities Fair, I knew you were something special. I know, Aubrey was a bit skeptical about having you in the Bellas, but I wasn't."Chloe told her.

"I certainly won't forget the day you decided to invade my shower space."Beca said.

"You're never gonna let me live that down, are you?"

"Nope!" Beca said as they both chuckled again.

"So it looks like Sarah and Aubrey are doing well so far."Chloe said.

"Yeah, they seem to be really opening up to this group. I'm glad Sarah can talk to someone who knows about this. I hated seeing her hurting like she was. When my mom told me about it I was shocked. The only thing I could do was rush right over there, and just be with her."

Chloe wrapped her arms around Beca kissing her cheek.

"She's lucky to have you. You've been a great friend to her." Chloe told Beca.

April, 2011

It was early Friday morning before school, when Beca got up. She immediately turned on her computer so she could mix her song idea before she lost it. It was important to catch those ideas when you can, because Beca didn't know if it would ever come back around. She'd been busy working for awhile before getting a knock at her door. As soon as Beca's mom, Anita entered, the look on her face was cause for alarm.

"Hey Mom, what's wrong?"

Anita sat down next to her daughter, taking her hand.

"Honey, I just got off the phone with Sarah's dad...her mother just died."

"Oh my God." Beca said."When?"

"Last night. She was in the hospital since Wednesday and she passed away in the middle of the night."

"Oh man, I didn't even realise she was that sick." Beca said.

"Yeah, nobody saw it coming. The doctor said her brain tumor could have been growing for awhile, and it suddenly took a turn for the worst."

Beca was very sad to hear about this, and could now only think of her friend. Anita agreed to let Beca stay home from school so she could go check on Sarah. She made it over there within ten minutes, wanting to get there as soon as possible. When knocking on the door, Sarah's father, John answered and he led her upstairs. Beca entered the room to see Sarah sitting in the middle of her bed, staring at the floor. She looked completely helpless and at a loss to make sense of the whole situation. Beca wasn't sure where to start, she just knew her friend needed her now more than ever.

"Hey."

"Hey." Sarah replied quietly.

Beca made her way over sitting next to Sarah, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"My mom told me what happened. I'm so sorry."

Sarah looked up at Beca wanting to speak, but all she could do was cry. Beca wrapped her arms around Sarah's shoulders, while her friend sobbed in her arms. It was enough to make Beca cry too, because no kid deserved to lose their parent. Beca loved Sarah for the kind and caring person she was, and for the great friend she's been to her all this time. So she hated that Sarah had to experience this terrible loss.

Present Day...

Later in the week, Beca, Chloe, Aubrey, and Sarah were at an ice cream stand ordering their favorites. While Beca had vanilla and Chloe had chocolate, Sarah went for a vanilla/chocolate swirl. Aubrey decided to have an oreo sundae, which looked really good to her friends.

"Aww...why didn't I think of that?"Chloe asked.

"Yeah that does look good." Sarah added.

"Yours looks good, too." Chloe said to Beca.

"Well, this is my first chance to try ice cream with a waffle cone, and I'm not going to pass it up."Beca said.

"You've never had a waffle cone?" Chloe asked, surprised.

"You've sure been missing out." Aubrey said.

The four ladies received their orders and sat down together.

"So what have you two been talking about in therapy, if you don't mind me asking?" Chloe asked.

"Mostly some memories about our moms." Aubrey explained. "It's been the best thing to focus on so far."

"I remember you told me some things about her." Chloe recalled. "Did you talk about your mom being a singer?"

"Well mostly I told them about how much my mom loved the holidays."

Aubrey decided to share some more memories with her friends, and went on to explain their holiday season that year.

" You know how many families wait until after Thanksgiving to put up Christmas decorations? Well, not us. My mom was always so eager to start putting up Christmas decorations on the earliest possible day. Every year at Christmas, my mom would go all out when it came to decorating the house. In past years, she would do almost all the decorating, from putting up our four foot artificial tree, to hanging our stockings, to hanging a wreath on our front door. My dad on the other hand would always put up the lights with Michael in the front yard. As for me, I'd decorate our tree with the boxes of ornaments we've always kept stashed away." Aubrey explained.

"So how different was the decorating that year?" Sarah asked.

"That year my mom still hung our stockings and put up the wreath. My dad, Michael, and I were the ones that put up our tree, and I still decorated it while my dad put up the lights." Aubrey said.

"How long did all the decorating take you?" Chloe asked.

"We spent the Saturday after Halloween decorating the house. We finished it all within a few hours."Aubrey said.

"So, as Christmas got closer, were all of you still worried about how you're mom was feeling?" Chloe asked.

"Yeah definitely. As time went by, my mom was feeling more and more tired, and we weren't sure why. Thankfully she didn't feel that way on Thanksgiving weekend because that would've made the holiday worse for her. Anyway, we all started to worry about my mom, and her health. My dad was urging her to see a doctor, but I guess even she was afraid of what she might find out. " Aubrey said.

"So, did she end up going at some point?" Sarah asked.

" Well thankfully, she did eventually. Despite the concerns from all of us, there were at least three things that made me smile that whole time." Aubrey said.

"What were they?" Sarah asked.

"Every weekend in December, my brother and I would play out in the snow. Somedays we'd have snowball fights, other days we'd build a snowman, and this one time we made snow angels." Aubrey said.

"You are so lucky you got to do all of that." Chloe said.

"Another thing that made me smile...every night in December after dinner, we'd listen to Christmas music on the radio for about an hour. Sometimes we'd sing along to most of them."Aubrey said.

"So what was the last thing?" Chloe asked.

"Whenever I would walk past our tree, it always put a smile on my face. It reminded me that the joy of Christmas is still there in my heart. It was what got me through the holiday after things changing the way they had to."Aubrey said.

December 25th, 2000...

At 6 a.m. that morning, Aubrey woke up, looked out her window, and saw the snow coming down. It was still dark out, but she didn't care because she was excited that Christmas Day had finally come.

"It's Christmas!"Aubrey yelled.

She quickly got dressed in her favorite red Christmas sweater, blue jeans, and Santa hat and then knocked on her parents' bedroom door.

"Mom! Dad! It's Christmas!"She yelled as her half-asleep father came out.

"Aubrey? What time is it?"Stan asked.

"6 a.m."Aubrey said.

"Okay. Give us a moment to wake up and then we'll all go downstairs to open our presents."Stan said.

"Okay."Aubrey said.

She waited 10 minutes for both her parents to wake up and then they went downstairs to the living room. After they looked into their stockings, they proceeded to open their presents.

At one point, Aubrey thought she opened everything on her list,but there was one present hidden well under the tree that she didn't ask for, and of course it was worth it to see what was inside.

"Oh, wow this necklace is beautiful."Aubrey said as she looked at the diamond encrusted key necklace, holding it out to show everyone.

"Im glad you think so. Your mother spent a lot of time picking it out."Stan said.

"I love it. Thank you, Mom."Aubrey said.

"You're very welcome, Honey. It looks great on you."Marie said while watching Aubrey try it on.

It's so great. Thank you." Aubrey said, getting up to hug her mom.

Present Day...

"It's the one thing from my mom that means the most to me. I still wear it to this day." Aubrey said, playing with it around her neck.

"Well she is right. It does look good on you."Sarah said.

"Thanks."Aubrey said.

"It's good to have those memories. Whatever keepsakes you have are good, I think. It keeps her close." Sarah said.

"I think so too."Aubrey said. "It was the last Christmas gift she gave me before she died, so I hope to be able to hang onto this as long as I can."

"Well it still looks taken care of, so that's a good thing." Chloe asked.

"I'm happy that even though she wasn't feeling her best, my mom was still in good spirits and enjoyed her holiday."Aubrey said.

"Sounds like that was a Christmas to remember." Chloe said.

"It was. We were smiling the whole day, and nothing could ruin it for us. I always enjoyed Christmas with my family."Aubrey said.

Aubrey thought a lot about how her mom enjoyed the holidays, even after she started to get sick. She's spent so long trying to suppress the pain of losing her, that she's almost forgotten everything about her mom that made her happy. It's how Aubrey wanted to remember her, and she was determined to hang on to those happy times.

After therapy, Aubrey is talking with Chloe wanting to share with her more about her mom. In the time she's known Chloe, Aubrey has talked about how her mom died when she was young, but they never really talked about what her mom was like and how their family was when Aubrey was growing up. It's been hard, but this is a discussion for Aubrey that has been long overdue. So far Chloe has been a good listener and very supportive listening to Aubrey talk about her late mother.

"So after New Year's, my mom's condition started to go downhill. Much to the point of what happened after the holidays."Aubrey said.

"What was it?"Chloe asked.

"My mom went to the doctor again after complaining of being tired all the time, and he recommended she see a cardiologist ."Aubrey said.

"That must've been really scary."Chloe said.

"It was. Everytime she went to the doctor, we hoped it was something simple that the doctor could give her medicine for and she'd get better, but she wasn't and we didn't know why."

"I'm sorry." Chloe said placing a hand on Aubrey's shoulder.

"It became hard to focus on my homework, so I would always be trying to catch up. On weekends, Michael and I would either play in the snow or stay in and watch movies. We were all hopeful that things would change for my mom, but it didn't happen that way."Aubrey told her.

January 16th, 2001...

Aubrey runs in the house after school to seemingly find no one home. No one in the living room, the kitchen, no one in the back yard, not anywhere. Usually Aubrey would run into someone coming home even though her house was usually quiet, but never this quiet. She quickly went to check upstairs calling out to her dad. After searching for a few minutes, she finally found her dad in his bedroom who was mildly startled by her coming up the stairs. Upon seeing him, Aubrey could immediately tell something was wrong.

"Dad, is everything okay? Where's mom?"

Stan sighed deeply as he beckoned his daughter to the end of the bed.

"Sweetie, this isn't easy to say to you, but this afternoon your mother wasn't feeling well so I had to take her back to the hospital...and it wasn't long before she passed away."

Aubrey couldn't breathe. She knew her mother hadn't been feeling well for awhile, but she wasn't expecting it to be this serious.

"What happened?" Aubrey asked.

"She was really tired and having shortness of breath, so when we got to the hospital they took her in immediately, but unfortunately they weren't able to save her. I'm very sorry, Honey."

Aubrey's whole body felt numb as she attempted to wipe the tears from her cheek. She never imagined something like this happening so suddenly, and she didn't know what she was going to do without her mom.

"I...I can't believe this is happening." Aubrey choked out.

"Don't worry about a thing, Honey." Stan said resting his hands on her shoulders."I'll take care of all the funeral arranging and make sure Michael keeps you company while all of this is going on. We'll all get through this in time."

Aubrey walked silently to her room and sat on the bed, all the while trying to process the whole thing. Her father did what he has always done, and took charge of the situation making sure everything was taken care of. Maybe it was the military training, but that was just his way. He was always taught to suppress emotions, for they would get in the way when a serious situation arose. The Army certainly had no shortage of those. She was glad to have a strong father, but most of the time she just wanted him to turn off the General and be her dad. She needed to feel something from him, no matter what it was, and not feel like she was the only one who had these emotions.

Present Day...

"The next few days following my mom's death were rather hard on everyone. That whole week we all stayed home from school and work, so we could spend the time grieving. The wake was held Wednesday of that week, while the funeral was the following day. It took me everything I had not to cry during the service, but the one moment they laid her to rest, I couldn't hold it back anymore."Aubrey explained.

"I'm so sorry, Aubrey." Chloe said wiping a single tear away.

Chloe knew how hard it was for her friend to open up like she did. Aubrey always carried herself as the strong one perhaps for her dad, but also maybe a little for herself so she didn't lose her resolve and break down over the terrible loss she suffered when she was only a child. Later that night , Aubrey laid awake thinking about the day she lost her mom, and how much she missed her. She thought about how hard it was to come to terms with the fact that her mother was really gone, and how her father could have done more to help her process this. Marie's death wasn't easy for anyone. Aubrey hated to blame her father for how this all played out, and she couldn't really blame him either. She knew he really loved her and was blindsided by this as well, but she also wishes he would have at least tried.

Thanks for reading, more to come...


	3. Chapter 3

Another therapy session was done while Aubrey and Sarah listened to their group member Shelly, who lost her son Adam, to Cystic Fibrosis. She talked about how for most of his life he was in and out of the hospital. Through all the tests, the special diet he had to abide by, and everyone around him having to be extra careful, keeping everything clean because of his condition, Adam was always in high spirits. He was a big fan of art and music, and would often play his guitar in the hospital for other patients. The hardest thing for Adam really, was not being able to be close to his friends at the hospital and hug them, because they couldn't risk catching each other's infection. It pained Shelly to have to bury her child, but she was glad to see him enjoy the time he had left. As they were leaving Sarah and Aubrey talked a bit about Shelly.  
"It's such a shame having to lose your child." Aubrey said.  
"Yeah." Sarah nodded.  
Throughout this time Sarah along with Aubrey, worked through the therapy and were trying to be as supportive to the other group members as they have been to them. You could say whatever might help to make them feel better, but Sarah knew the truth, that none of it would bring these people back. She hoped she could get to a place where knowing her mother was gone didn't hurt so much, and she could remember the good things. It was an awkward silence for a bit, before Sarah spoke up.  
"So if you're not busy tomorrow, maybe you could come by to help me out with something."  
"Sure, with what?" Aubrey asked.  
"Beca and Chloe are coming over to help me clean some stuff out of the attic. My dad and I have been looking to get some stuff cleared out, and you're welcome to join us if you'd like. We could always use an extra hand."  
"Yeah sure, I'll be there." Aubrey told her.  
"Great."  
This was sure to be a good for them. Cleaning out the attic should be enough to keep them busy so that their minds could be on other things. 

The girls were gathered at Sarah's house going through boxes in the attic. Most of it was some camping equipment, old clothes to be gone through later, some holiday decorations, and some of Sarah's old toys from when she was little. She's spent most of the time up there going through what was sentimental that she wanted to keep, and what would be given away. While cleaning, Chloe opened up a box with some things inside that Sarah had forgotten about until now.  
"Hey whose are these?"  
"Oh, those were my mom's." Sarah said picking up the contents.  
Sarah's mother Mary, kept a vinyl record collection of music old and new. There was music from The Chiffons, some Linda Ronstadt, and a copy of ABBA Gold that Mary had signed.  
"Wow, she got that signed?" Chloe asked excited.  
"Yeah, she went to see them when they toured the US in the early 90's. She's always loved ABBA."  
"That's so cool." Chloe said.  
Sarah looked at those old records, remembering how much her mother loved music, and how they would often play those old songs while singing and dancing around the house. When Mary got the orchestra director position at the highschool, Sarah thought it'd be embarrassing having her mom teach at her school. As it turned out, she was really cool. All the kids liked her, the other teachers liked her, and it never embarrassed Sarah to hug her mom in the hallway. She knows how things could have been, but it wasn't bad at all to have her mom at school. As they went through more stuff, Sarah noticed Aubrey flipping through a photo album. 

"Is this her?"Aubrey asked. 

"Yeah, that's mom."Sarah said looking at the photo. 

It was a picture of Sarah with her mom during her bat mitzvah. Mary was kissing her cheek after she blew out her candles. She couldn't believe her little girl was so grown up.

"I remember that party."Beca said."I think it's the first time I met your grandfather. "

"Yeah."Sarah laughed. "He went around the whole party wanting to show everyone his card tricks. Then he'd come up with me to every relative, pinch my cheeks and say 'Can you believe this girl is already thirteen?'." 

"Really?"Aubrey laughed. 

"Yeah. He's always been proud of all of us. He and my mom were really close."

It all made Sarah think of her grandfather, and how she hasn't seen him in awhile. She hoped he was doing okay, and that he wasn't too lonely. She'd definitely have to make sure and call him sometime. After sharing some memories, the girls stacked the boxes neatly up in the attic and called it a day. Sarah got what she wanted accomplished, and now it was time to have some fun. 

The ladies have had a full day of cleaning out Sarah's attic. They got a lot done, and Sarah shared many things about her mother that she remembered fondly. After their hard work, the four of them decided to go out for a well deserved pizza and an afternoon of bowling. They were having fun, even though Chloe was having a rough go of it. 

"Damn! I suck at bowling."Chloe grumbled. 

"It's just one gutterball, Hon. Don't worry about it."Beca said.

"I know, but look how many strikes Aubrey has racked up already."Chloe said, looking at their scores.

"Well I don't like to brag, but when I was in high school, my brother and I would come here to bowl every Monday night," Aubrey told them.

"I'm sorry...you don't like to brag?" Beca joked and everybody laughed.

"Oh come on. I'm not that bad; am I?"

"Yes!" They all say in unison.

"Okay, so sometimes I am... but Chloe, It's not too late for you to catch up. Besides, bowling on a regular basis is good for your average. It helps keep your scores up to where they should be," Aubrey said.

"I see that,"Chloe said.

"Come on Chloe, you can do it!"Beca said.

Chloe gave it her best as she rolled down another ball and knocked down all but one pin.

"Well, that makes me feel slightly better."Chloe said.

"See what I mean?"Beca asked.

After the times Sarah has spent with Aubrey in group counseling talking about death, this was a nice day to spend with friends. It reminded Sarah of being back in highschool when she and Beca would hang out and just have fun. It was also nice to share better memories of her mom with those close to her. Her mom was fun to be around, and all the kids she went to school with loved their favorite orchestra conductor. Sarah wanted her mother to be remembered for the warm and lively person she was, that loved music and loved teaching it to the kids. Amidst the therapy sessions, Sarah also found it interesting to learn new things about Aubrey, and get to know a part of her that she hasn't shown many people. About four frames later in their game, Chloe was on her way to a high score.

"Alright, this is the last frame. It's time to make it count,"Chloe said.

Chloe was determined to get a good game out of this as she lined up her shot, hurled the ball down the alley and rolled a strike.

"Oh my God! I did it!" Chloe yelled, happily as she and Beca hugged.

"See? I knew you could do it!"Beca said.

Chloe engaged in a round of high fives with her friends, before the four of them grabbed dessert afterwards hanging around to talk. The girls wanted to spend every summer like this as much as possible, with good friends having a good time. In between the tough times and times of uncertainty, there definitely needed to be moments to relax with the friends you love, and also plenty of bowling. With enough practice, Chloe was sure to one day bowl a perfect game. 

While at another counseling session, the group is talking to Max, the boy who lost his father when he was working in construction. He is sixteen years old having lost his father just six months ago, and he doesn't quite know what to make of the whole situation.  
"So many people want to know what I'm feeling and I don't even know what to tell them. I mean...of course I'm sad, I wouldn't want anybody to think I wasn't, but it all feels so weird. " Max sighed, telling his story.  
"How does it feel weird?" the therapist asked.  
"That someone is here one minute and then they're just not. My dad was supposed to go to work and come home to have dinner with the rest of us. Then one day he didn't...for no reason at all. How is it decided who lives and who dies? I don't get it."  
"None of it makes sense, Honey." Shelly told, him touching his arm. "Lots of good people die and none of it is fair. I think remembering the good times is the best we can do for them." Shelly told Max.  
Max knew all the people around him meant well. His mother recommended the counseling to him in hopes talking to these people would help him cope. He is trying to deal with this, but nothing anyone says or does feels like things will be better someday.  
"I know I loved my dad, and it always felt like our relationship was normal, but lately...I feel like we could have been closer. He went to work, I went to school and then to football practice, and... I don't know, we just kinda lived our lives. We hung out more when I was little, but after awhile we didn't really talk like we used to. I keep thinking maybe I should have tried harder."  
"Max, you didn't do anything wrong." The therapist said. "I'm sure your father knew how much you loved him. Even if we don't always show it, we all love our family everyday."  
Max merely sighed and nodded. He knew he loved his father, but he wished he could be sure that his father knew how much.  
The drive home between Sarah and Aubrey was quiet as the two thought about what Max talked about. It has to be terrible to lose someone when you weren't as close as you wanted to be when they were alive. Both girls were very close to their moms, and couldn't imagine what it'd be like not to be.  
"I think about her everyday." Sarah said." I don't think I've stopped thinking about her since the day she died."  
"Same." Aubrey said quietly, while taking her hand.  
"Sometimes I think I'm doing okay, then other times at night I feel creeped out when the house is too quiet... and It's like I'm six years old. I want my mother and I can't go to her." Sarah said, starting to cry a little.  
"I know, believe me I know." Aubrey responded, getting emotional herself.  
"My mom was loved by everyone that knew her. I remember the other teachers at my school saying how much they loved working with her. I think it's because she cared so much about other people and always wanted to help them if possible."  
"She sounds really special. I wish I could have met her." Aubrey told her, while Sarah wiped more tears away.

March 8th, 2004  
It is almost 5pm, and Mary is home from orchestra rehearsal getting ready to start dinner. Sarah is due home in another twenty minutes from her Monday private violin lessons, and John is getting a little extra work done in his office. She starts the oven and gets the dishes out when she hears a knock at the door. Mary looks out the window to see Beca outside and opens the door for her.  
"Hey there, Beca. Do you want to come in? Sarah will be home in a little while; she still at her private lessons."  
"Uhm...no thank you. I wanted to talk to her about something, but I can call her later."  
Beca was starting to leave, but Mary could tell something wasn't quite right.  
"Beca, is something wrong? Do you want to talk about it?" Mary asked.  
"No, I'll be fine." Beca said, but Mary didn't believe her.  
"Sweetie, come inside. Let's talk."  
Beca followed Mary into the living room and immediately after sitting on the couch, she was in tears. Mary wrapped an arm around her daughther's friend, knowing something was wrong the moment she saw her.  
"What's going on, Honey? "  
"My parents are getting separated."  
Mary hugged Beca closer upon hearing the news. The girls have been friends so long that Beca felt like another daughter, and she didn't want to see her in pain.  
"I'm so sorry, Sweetheart."  
Mary continued to comfort Beca while she cried. It has always been hard for Beca to open up to people, and she hated feeling vulnerable. She apologized saying she hated to cry, but Mary told her not to worry, that it was good to cry sometimes.  
"You'll be okay, Honey. I know it doesn't seem like it now, but you'll be okay." Mary told Beca.  
Sarah soon came home to see Beca there crying. She set down her violin in the doorway, sitting next to her friend.  
"What happened?"  
"My mom and dad want a divorce." Beca said.  
"Oh Beca, I'm so sorry." Sarah said hugging her.  
"I don't know what happened." Beca said." I know they were fighting, but I didn't think it was this serious. Now they're just done and they don't even want to try and work it out."  
"Sometimes the problem is too big, Honey. It sucks, but maybe this will be for the best." Mary told Beca.  
" I wish I knew what to do."  
"You didn' t do anything wrong, Beca. Maybe there was nothing that could have been done." Sarah said.  
"I know how you feel, Sweetie. My parents are divorced too. I know It hurts that they're not staying together, but please know that their problems have nothing to do with you, and that they love you very much." Mary said.  
Beca nodded while Sarah hugged her tight. She was sad that her friend was going through this with her parents, and agreed with what her mom said about nothing changing between them and Beca. Sarah wanted to be there for Beca, and let her know she is always a part of her family.  
"Beca, do you want to stay here tonight?"  
"Uhm...yeah, if it's okay with your mom." Beca said, while Mary nodded her approval.  
"Just let your mom know where you are."  
"Okay." Beca said.  
They all sat down to dinner while Beca enjoyed the food, trying not to think about her situation at home. She was incredibly grateful to Sarah and her parents for being a support system during this time, and for always making her feel welcome. She didn't know if her family will ever find themselves in a good place again or how long that would take. Right now being with her best friend kept Beca from feeling broken and alone. These two girls were both only children who have come to choose the other as their sister, and they have never let each other down.


	4. Chapter 4

Aubrey rang Sarah's doorbell at 5 a.m. She couldn't stay in bed any longer, and needed to do something to distract herself from the thoughts in her head. Sarah soon answered the door, curious about the early morning visit. 

"Aubrey? What brings you here so early?" Sarah asked.

"I was going out for my morning run, and I was wondering if you want to come with me."

"You like to start the day off bright and early, huh?" Sarah said.

"Well, you know how much I love a good cardio workout." Aubrey reminded her.

"Yeah I do. Okay, give me a minute to change, and then I'll come join you." Sarah said.

"Okay." Aubrey said as Sarah closed the door.

It didn't take long for Sarah to get dressed and ready for an early morning jog. She came outside with a cup of coffee in hand, ready to start her day. 

The girls were able to get in a good workout together. It is a clear morning, and still not too hot yet. The fresh air has done the both of them good in giving them a much needed burst of energy. After their jog, they stopped for more coffee and a bagel while Aubrey talked to Sarah about what was on her mind, that brought on this impromptu jog.

"So I got a call from my dad last night. He wants to have a long overdue family dinner."

"Oh, is your brother back in town?"Sarah asked.

"No, he wants to have dinner with my stepmom and step brothers. "

"Ahh, I didn't know your dad got remarried. You hadn't mentioned them before."Sarah said. 

"Yeah, well it wasn't exactly warm and fuzzy family time with Elaine. She was more worried about whether I acted or dressed properly. "Aubrey said. 

"Sounds like it was really tough. You had Michael there to help bare the brunt of it, I hope." 

"No he was in Military School by the time he was sixteen. He always wanted to be like our dad, and make him proud. "Aubrey explained. 

Sarah placed a hand on Aubrey's shoulder. It seems Aubrey has always been playing catch up, and trying to please other people. She hated seeing her friend so stressed about being the best and trying to appear as the person others wanted her to be.

It is mid morning by the time Aubrey arrives home. She does a few dishes before sitting at her desk to check some emails. On one hand, Aubrey is glad to be in therapy and to have things going so well between herself and Sarah. She has wanted to see Sarah get to talk about her mom with someone who has had the same experience. Yet for Aubrey, it has been really difficult to open up about her mother's death, and to bring up all that pain she's had bottled up for so long. Aubrey is mildly startled by the Skpe ring, and opens up a call with her brother, Michael. 

"Hey Sis."

"Hey, what's going on?"

"Not much. I assume you got a call from Dad about dinner tonight." Michael said. 

"Yeah, I did. At least you live in Florida and you have an excuse not to go." 

"Don't worry, Aubrey. You'll survive." Michael chuckled.

"I hope so."

"I'll try to be there for the next one, I promise."

"Yeah." Aubrey said, dejected.

It is good to hear from her brother, but this Skype call reminds Aubrey how much she misses him. She doesn't know how she is going to deal with the family without him. Her stepmom, Elaine will fall all over Michael and say how proud they are of his military career but Aubrey would never receive the same praise. 

"You look good. It's good to see you." Michael told her.

"Thanks."

"So is the group counseling going okay?"

"Yeah. We've only just started, but it's going okay." Aubrey said.

"Aubrey, I know I haven't always been there when we were kids, but if you need to talk, you can always call me." 

"Thank you, Michael, I will. Wish me luck tonight."

"Good luck. It'll be okay, I swear." Michale said. 

The two signed off and Aubrey sighed deeply, mentally preparing herself for the night to come. 

August 2003

Michael has left for military school the day before, and now Aubrey has to get used to Michael not being there. Her father is almost always away, and the house is usually Aubrey alone with her stepmother Elaine, and her stepbrothers Ethan who is fifteen and Randi who is twelve. They are a lot to deal with, and the boys often made Aubrey feel overwhelmed. It wasn't long before Elaine came into the den where Aubrey was watching TV, to ask for her help. 

"Aubrey, your father will be home for dinner this evening, and I need your help getting dinner ready."

"Okay." Aubrey said, walking into the kitchen. "What do you need me to do first."

"The dishes need to be done so you can set the table." Elaine told her.

Aubrey got to work scrubbing all the dishes that accumulated throughout the day, all the while they could hear pounding on the ceiling as Randi listened to his loud music while jumping on his floor. He is definitely high energy and always on the go, so anything the boy could do to make noise, he took advantage of it. The behavior has always been excused by his mother with a ' Well he is a boy after all.' or ' He has problems and he can't control it.' No personal responsibility is ever taken with Randi, and no matter how rude he is or what mess he makes, it's always Aubrey who has to deal with it. 

"Aubrey, will you go get your brother to settle down and come downstairs to dinner." Elaine grumbled. 

She is finishing up the last couple dishes, and is about to go upstairs, when Ethan comes in the kitchen with another pile of dishes from his room, dumping them in the sink with a smirk on his face. Aubrey knew complaining was to no avail and that Ethan always got away with digging into her. She tried her best to clean up the added work her stepbrother gave her, while Elaine barked her orders again.

"Aubrey, I told you to go get your brother! Don't you listen to me!" 

"I'm trying. I was just given more dishes." Aubrey said.

"Well hurry up then! There's no reason the dishes should take this long!" 

Aubrey kept looking down at the dishes trying to finish up before going to deal with Randi. On her way to his room, she could still hear the banging while opening the door to the mess around him, and trying to yell over the radio.

"Randi! ... Randi! Your mother wants you downstairs for dinner!" 

"Bite me!" Randi yelled, flinging his nerf ball at the door.

Aubrey was lucky enough to avoid it and just tried to keep her composure.

"Randi, please just come downstairs for dinner." 

"Why don't you make me!" 

Soon Elaine came stomping up the stairs huffing at Aubrey.

"Do I have to do everything? Randi, come on downstairs to eat." 

"Yes Mom." Randi said, sweetly walking by.

Everyone else might have been fooled, but Aubrey could see the devil horns on that boy. This was a nightly occurrence, and it exhausted Aubrey everytime. With a deep breath, she made her way downstairs to set the table and try to get through the rest of this night. 

Present Day   
Beca and Chloe have invited Sarah and Aubrey to spend the afternoon at a mini golf course with them. This activity has proven to be successful for Chloe; more so than their time going bowling, and she's certainly enjoying herself. 

"Yes! That's another hole-in-one for me!"Chloe said, excited.

"Okay, how do I know you're not cheating?"Beca joked.

"Cheating? Come on, Beca, how can you cheat in mini-golf?"

"Because you've gotten a hole-in-one nine times in a row now."Beca pointed out.

"What can I say? I've mastered this course lots of times,"Chloe gloated.

"Clearly,"Beca said.

Beca acted like she was jealous of Chloe's score, but she really did enjoy seeing Chloe have a good time. They've been having so much fun this summer, and she is glad the two met while in school. For once doing something for her father has made Beca grateful she listened to him. Aubrey and Sarah are both happy to see it, and thought Beca and Chloe were really good together. By the time the girls were finishing the course, Chloe had a good lead. 

"Well that's 17 holes down so far and I'm ahead by nine."Chloe said.

"Okay now, getting competitive; are we?" Beca asked.

"Oh, I'm just getting started."

"Well this is the last hole. One more and Chloe wins." Aubrey said.

Chloe lines up her shot, hits her ball and sinks it in the hole. The girls share a round of high fives while Beca gives her a congratulatory kiss. 

"This was fun. We should do it again sometime." Chloe said.

"Why is that because you won?" Beca asked.

"Maybe a little." 

"Okay, sounds like a plan." Beca laughed.

The two took hands while heading back to turn in their clubs. Aubrey and Sarah followed behind them, and enjoyed seeing their friends happy. 

"They really are very sweet together." Sarah said.

"Yeah, I have to admit, things are better off the way they are. Chloe is so happy being with Beca, and that's all I've ever wanted for her since the day we met." Aubrey said.

''Well, I've known Beca for a long time, and I know how much she cares about Chloe. She'll treat her with all the love and respect she deserves." Sarah said. 

"I know. Beca is really great. I'm glad those two found each other."

Aubrey is happy spending this time with her friends. It almost made her sad, knowing she'd have to leave eventually, and tonight she'd have to face dinner with Elaine and her stepbrothers. Sarah could see Aubrey thinking about it, and tried to be supportive.

"So...family dinner tonight?" Sarah asked. 

"Yup. Time to enter the battlefield." Aubrey said.

"If you need to be rescued, feel free to call me." Sarah told her.

"Thanks."

Aubrey liked feeling supported for once. The Bellas have been a really tight family throughout her experience with them, and it's been the best part of Barden for her.   
"Hey, are you two coming?"Beca called out.

"Yeah Becs, we're right behind you."Sarah laughed. 

With that, Beca and Chloe returned the clubs and headed toward the car to go for ice cream while still holding hands and almost tripping over each other, they were so excited. It was nice to see this side of Beca, being goofy and in love. Sarah and Aubrey are both happy to see these two connect so well. They hoped for more happy moments like this to come for their friends. 

After running home to change, Aubrey is finally at her father's house, took a deep breath, and made herself go inside. She could smell dinner cooking and tried to concentrate on that to get through the evening. Aubrey walked through the foyer and stood in the doorway of her father's office, looking at all of his war medals. General Stan Posen was certainly an accomplished man with an impressive military career, and despite not being as close to him as her mom, Aubrey is really proud of him. He's worked very hard to get where he is today, and has been brave in putting his life on the line to serve his country. Aubrey appreciated how dedicated he was, and likes to think some of that dedication has rubbed off on her. As proud as Aubrey is, she also grew up worrying about him when he was away. There was always a chance that something bad could have happened, and that he may not come home. She'd already lost one parent, and worried what would happen if she lost the other. Before long, Aubrey's father found her and came out to greet her. 

"Hi Honey, how are you?" 

"Hey Dad."Aubrey said, greeting him with a hug.

"How's the new job?" 

"It's going well. I have a starting position right now, but I have the chance to move up." 

"Well, that's wonderful. I know you'll do well there. You have natural leadership skills."Stan told her. 

While they were talking, Aubrey saw Elaine looking in from the kitchen and froze for a moment before greeting her.

"Hi there, Elaine. "

"Hello there, Aubrey. You look well." 

"Thanks, so do you." Aubrey said. 

Anytime Aubrey was around Elaine, she felt like she had to be on her best behavior, almost as if she were on a job interview. She was always trying to give a good impression, because that's always what Elaine expected of her. At home Aubrey never got to be herself while living with her stepmother who fussed over everything from Aubrey's table manners to making sure she always dressed conservatively. Elaine's way was always the right way, and her idea of mothering Aubrey meant to groom her to be what she deemed a proper young lady. Someone who always wore a pretty dress, not too revealing and always a color that complemented her features. A young woman who knew how to throw a party, and how to greet and entertain guests. Elaine's ex husband is a lawyer, and she often entertained for his work colleagues. She also threw many parties for Stan's military friends, all of which Aubrey was expected to help set up. Elaine always took pride in being the perfect wife, and thought Aubrey should aspire to do the same. It's not that Aubrey never wanted to get married, but she certainly didn't want the kind of marriage that her father and Elaine had. 

As they made their way to the dining room to sit at the table, Aubrey could see her stepbrothers, Ethan and Randi already there. Ethan is now 23yrs old, has graduated college, and is now working an internship at his dad's firm while attending law school. He is doing well for himself now, and definitely used his father's resources to his advantage. Randi now 20yrs old, is living back at home after getting into trouble. He had moved out at 18 and was living with his friends, spending much of his time partying and drinking. One night while driving drunk, Randi ended up crashing his car into a store. With the help of his father and since he was a first time offender, he was sentenced to 300 hours of community service and is currently under house arrest. As dinner is almost ready, Elaine took some time to catch up.   
"Well, this is nice to finally have a family dinner. It's a shame Michael couldn't be here." Elaine said.  
"He couldn't get away this time, but when I talked to him he promised to be at the next one." Stan told her. "Did you talk to your brother, Aubrey?"  
"Yeah, he said the same thing to me."   
These family dinners were always easier to get through when Michael was here. The whole time Stan and Elaine would say how proud they were of him, and all he has accomplished. Aubrey thought at least when he was here, it took the focus off of her life. Her father at least tried to be encouraging with Aubrey's position at the lodge, but it was no military hero.   
"Michael has always been so dedicated to his future. He's done amazing things with his military career. He definitely takes after you." Elaine tells Stan.   
"Yeah, he's a good kid." Stan said.   
Michael didn't even have to be here for Elaine to fawn over him. Aubrey was of course proud of her brother, and the two had a good relationship, but she was a little tired of always hearing 'Michael's so great, Michael's so wonderful.' As the family passed around a perfectly cooked, medium rare roast and some vegetables, they started talking about Ethan's internship.   
"So Ethan, what do you have going on at your dad's office?" Elaine asked.  
"I've been doing a lot of preparations for trials and managing cases. It's a lot of busy work, but it's good practice for when it comes time to assist on actual cases."   
"That's great, Honey. I think you're in a good place, working with your father."   
Besides talking about Ethan's law school career, the dinner has been mostly silent. Everyone ate in silence, not really knowing what to talk about. Most of this family's excitement came from business ventures and things they have achieved. Randi wanting some of his mother's praise talked about the progress he has made.   
"You know the community service has gone really well for me. I've nearly gotten through half my hours already." Randi said.   
"You have been doing really well, son. I'm proud of you for working so hard to turn your life around." Elaine told him.   
"Aubrey, do you want to talk about your job?" Stan asked, catching Aubrey a bit off guard.  
"Uhm well, I've been working at the lodge for almost three months now. I have an opportunity for management, so that's pretty exciting."   
Aubrey looked around the table with no response at first, before Elaine spoke up.  
"Well, that's very nice Deer. At least you're putting that degree to good use."   
Elaine always had a way of making Aubrey feel dejected. There was almost never a warm moment between the two. Even Randi got praise, despite the fact that he has screwed up for most of his life thus far. With this woman, Aubrey never felt like they were a family. It felt more like she was an employee, and it was important for her behavior to reflect well on the "company". Aubrey opted to skip desert, and get plenty of rest for tomorrow. Any excuse to get out of there, and not face Elaine making her feel like she would never be good enough.

Aubrey arrived with Sarah at her grief counseling session the next morning. She's becoming better at talking about what is bothering her, and the group has been very understanding. Today she is talking about her dinner last night, and her relationship with her stepmother. 

"How did the dinner go with your family?" the therapist asked.   
"It was pretty much the usual. My stepbrothers got all the praise in the world, while Elaine dismissed anything going on in my life." Aubrey said.  
"Have things always been tense between the two of you?"   
"Yeah. I'd like to be able to avoid her, but If I did, I'd never see my father."   
"Does your father know how things are with you and your stepmother? Maybe the two of you could talk to her together?"   
"I don't think so."Aubrey said, shaking her head. "He'd just defend her, and say I need to be a team player. My dad never liked to deal with conflict."  
Sarah placed a hand on Aubrey's shoulder as she could see how difficult this is for her to talk about. She's like to see Aubrey have a better relationship with her dad, and be able to talk to him, and feel like they were closer. This session reminded Aubrey about the times she's had conflict with Elaine, and the pressure to please her. 

November 2003

It is evening in the Posen home, and everything is ready for a party to be held for Stan and his USO friends. The dining room is set perfectly with their fine china, and all the food is out for their guests. Most of the party preparation was done by Aubrey, with the exception of the cooking. Parties like this were the most Aubrey got to see her father, and even then his time was consumed with entertaining his military buddies.   
When the guests arrived, Stan had a good time mingling while Elaine was serving drinks. Aubrey has retreated to the den, with a headache that has begun to overwhelm her. She was hoping to be able to hide, and rest for awhile, but Elaine soon found her as she stormed into the room.   
"Aubrey, where have you been? Don't you see we have a party going on?"  
"Yes, I'm sorry. I just have an awful headache, and I need a minute to myself."   
"Well you're going to have to push it aside, and do what you're supposed to for this party."   
"I'm sorry I can't. No." Aubrey said, while Elaine slowly turned to face her.  
"What did you just say?"   
"I can't take this anymore. I've done my best to help you, and I need to rest now."   
"Could I see you in the other room for a minute?" Elaine asked, and Aubrey nodded.  
She followed Elaine toward the back of the house into the bedroom. Once the door was closed behind her, Elaine turned quickly slapping Aubrey and taking the girls chin in her hand, drawing her in close.  
" You listen to me you ungrateful little shit." Elaine said gritting her teeth. " These people are very important to your father, and he's the reason we all get to live the nice life that we do. The least we can do is show his company a good time. You need to pull yourself together, and get your ass back to that party, now!"   
Aubrey was left there trembling, with tears rolling down her face. She could still feel the sting on her face, but there was no use arguing. She stepped into the bathroom to freshen up, and clean up her tears. With a few deep breaths, she was ready to go back out and be a good host at the party.   
Present Day  
Aubrey didn't feel much like talking on the way back to Sarah's house. It's the first time she has let herself be that open, and talk about all those painful memories. As much as it hurt, these things needed to be said, and having Sarah there was a help in sharing this with the group. Aubrey didn't expect to feel relieved after her session. Talking about personal stuff wasn't her thing, and for a long time she had no one to talk about these things with. Having the Bellas as friends has done a lot for Aubrey, which in turn has helped her get to a place where she would be willing to try therapy. When they got back, Sarah turned to talk to Aubrey.  
"Was it always that bad?"  
"Yeah." Aubrey nodded.  
"I'm really sorry." Sarah said, and Aubrey smiled.  
"Maybe you should try to talk to your dad again. It's the only way to make things better."  
"I don't know what good it'll do. He's never been available to listen."  
"I think it'll be a good idea if you could get him alone. Fixing things with your dad would be a big part in making you feel better." Sarah said.  
"I hope I can...feel better." Aubrey said, wiping away a few tears.   
Sarah gave Aubrey a hug, hoping she could get in a talk with her father. This has made Sarah see Aubrey for who she is and how much she's been holding in. She wanted her friend to know she didn't have to hold it back anymore, and she had someone to talk to anytime she needed.


	5. Chapter 5

Ch 5

Sarah pulls up to Beca's house in time to see Beca arriving home herself after grocery shopping. She helps her take a couple bags as the two go inside the house. Beca and Sarah start putting things away as they discuss what has been going on with them this summer. Things have been going well with the group therapy, and Sarah is glad she agreed to do it, but she still has Aubrey on her mind. What they talked about was heavy, and Sarah is amazed that Aubrey has held up as well as she did. It's been a long time for her to hold all of that in, and it couldn't have been easy for her. 

At this point, Sarah has been over the house many times, and has helped Beca put away groceries before, so she pretty much knows where everything goes. Lately she's seen some items that have proved interesting. 

"So how's it been with you and Chloe living together?"

"Great so far. I'm glad we were able to get this house for rent, and move out of that tiny apartment. "Beca said. 

Sarah smirks as she continues going through the groceries. 

"So...raw nuts and kale chips?" 

"Yeah, they're for Chloe."Beca told her.

"Just for Chloe?" 

"Well...I mean, sometimes I have a little. They're actually not bad."Beca said.

"Looks like it took being in a relationship to finally get the Snickers bar out of your hand."Sarah joked.

"Hey, don't make fun of me. "Beca laughed. "We agreed to eat healthy together, and I'm trying to be supportive. " 

"Beca, I'm kidding. I think it's a good thing. You're "adulting"very well."Sarah said. 

Sarah's phone dinged as she checked her text message. 

"Who's that?" 

"It's from Aubrey. We're gonna meet for breakfast tomorrow before therapy. "Sarah said.

"How's that been going lately?" Beca asked.

"Pretty good. I'm glad I made myself go. I am worried about Aubrey after yesterday. " 

"Why, what happened?"Beca asked.

"She talked about growing up with her stepmom. Apparently the woman was really nasty to her. It was hard for Aubrey to keep up with pleasing her, and it really stressed her out."Sarah said.   
"Yeah, I definitely know what that is like. Explains why she wasn't looking forward to her family dinner, huh?" 

"Yeah...it even got to the point of this woman insulting Aubrey, and once she slapped her." Sarah told her. 

"Wow, that's rough. "

"Definitely. She's got the very definition of a step-monster." 

"Yeah, she sure does."

Beca heard all of this, and truly felt bad for Aubrey, knowing how important it was to appear competent and have everything be perfect. Having everything go according to plan for Aubrey meant that she was doing something right, and that those around her would be proud, or at least she hoped so. Beca wished she and Sarah had known her back then so that they could assure her that there was no need to be perfect in order to be the amazing person that she is. 

March 2006

It's now 4pm after school, and Beca is hanging out over Sarah's house, which has become a typical occurrence between these two. In the past year of going to school together, they have become the best of friends. Before there was no one else who got them as well as the other one did. These girls weren't trying to keep up with the popular crowd because none of that mattered. It has been an uncertain and at times rocky transition into middle school for these two girls, and both felt lucky to have each other. Beca has had a secret on her mind for a long time, and hoped her best friend would still be there for her. The two are currently in Sarah's room playing Soul Calibur, and Sarah is fighting Voldo with no luck.

"Damn, it's his stupid crab walk. I can't get past."Sarah said, disgusted. 

"Yeah I have trouble with him too."

Sarah hands Beca the controller.

"Here, maybe you'll have better luck than me." 

Beca is silent for a moment before speaking up.

"Sarah I...I need to tell you something."

"Yeah Becs, what's up."Sarah asked, while they sat in silence before Beca took a deep breath. 

"I'm gay."Beca said.

The two exchanged nervous smiles, Beca not knowing what Sarah was thinking and Sarah not knowing what reaction Beca was looking for.

"Okay. "Sarah said, grinning. 

"Are you freaked out?"Beca asked. 

"No. You're still you."Sarah told her.

Beca took a deep breath. It was a relief to finally say it out loud, and to know that Sarah still saw her best friend and not her sexuality. 

"You're the only one I've said this to. I still haven't told my parents. I hope it goes as well as telling you. " 

"I've always got your back, Beca. No matter what."Sarah said.

"I know you do."Beca smiled. "Let's see if we can kick this guy's ass."She said, looking back at the game.

"Good idea." 

Present Day 

Aubrey and Sarah decide to meet at a diner before therapy to relax and clear their heads before the session. As their orders arrived, the two ate in companionable silence while Sarah thought about Aubrey sharing her painful past. She knew Aubrey was strong willed and highly motivated to succeed, but she felt bad that not a lot of compassion seemed to be shown to her. Although Aubrey's father wanted her to be successful, maybe he went about things the wrong way. Being able to take care of yourself is of course a great thing, but not if you're so afraid to screw up that you keep all your feelings bottled up. Finally Sarah broke the silence.

"Are you doing okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." Aubrey answered. 

"Our last session seemed to be a lot on you. Just want to make sure you're up for it today." Sarah said.

"I'm up for it; no problem. It was good for me to let that out, and good to know there are people around to listen." 

"Of course, anytime." Sarah smiled.

In the interest of making this a happy breakfast, the two opted for a new subject. 

"Did I tell you Chloe dragged Beca out shopping for new home decor?" Sarah told Aubrey.

"Oh I know, Chloe told me about it yesterday. I think it's cute. They're like an old married couple already." 

"Yeah, she gets Beca to do a lot she normally wouldn't. Beca looks really happy though, I'm happy for them." Sarah said.

"I am too. I'm glad they found each other." 

The two girls finished their breakfast, and headed out to therapy. The sessions have been doing the girls a lot of good and hopefully it will continue to help them. 

While in therapy, the group has talked a lot about the person they lost and how it makes them feel, and now they are talking about what has helped them thus far and the people who have been there for them along the way. Several people in the group talked about their parents, friends, and siblings, along with Sarah who talked to them about Beca and how they've always had each others back while growing up. 

October, 2007

Beca is coming out of class and finds Sarah at her locker, already seeing the problem before even having to ask. She can see that something is drawn on Sarah's locker and as Beca gets closer, she can see that it is in fact a Swastika. Sarah can't even look up at her friend while she witnesses what has happened.

"Sarah, who did this?" 

"Probably Maddison Davies." 

" Maddison? She's in our lunch, right?" 

Sarah nods. 

"You're sure it was her?" Beca asked.

"Yeah pretty sure. She's been bothering me for awhile now." 

"How come you didn't say anything?" 

"I don't know." Sarah shrugged. " I was afraid...with her family being the way they are." 

Sarah breathes in trying to told back tears, while Beca turns Sarah to face her. 

"Look, I won't let anything bad happen to you; alright, but we really need to tell somebody about this, before it gets way out of hand."   
Beca takes a picture of the locker with her phone, and they plan to tell the principal after lunch. Sarah has had a problem with Maddison for about a month now harassing her for being Jewish. Maddison's father and her three brothers are all Skinheads which is likely where Maddison picked up her very racist ideals. Although Maddison doesn't live with her father, Sarah doesn't doubt that they would fight for her. 

Beca and Sarah head to the lunch room only to see Maddison sitting at the front table with her two best friends. They would often talk about Beca and Sarah, while laughing and pointing, and would sometimes engage them. Maddison in the midst of the teasing has taken to giving the two of them a nickname. 

" And here comes 'the kike and the dyke'." Maddison calls out.

"Original." Beca scoffs.

Maddison then directs her attention to Sarah, who is avoiding eye contact with them.

"Hey, you always let your little girlfriend do all your talking for you since you're too scared to do it yourself?" Maddison says, while her friends laugh.

"Come on, let's go." Beca says to Sarah, while walking past them.

The girls were fully intent on ignoring these bullies until Maddison takes a handful of pennies, throwing them in their direction.

"Pick 'em up, you dirty Jew!" Maddison shouts. 

Sarah looks away trying not to let them see her cry, while Beca can't stand by and take it, letting Maddison have it. Maddison is enjoying the whole thing, laughing and joking with her friends, while Beca storms over to the girl and in one swift motion knocks the girl's lunch in her lap, and before Maddison has a chance to react, Beca punches her in the face. 

"Talk shit now, Bitch!" Beca shouts, before the two are broken up by a teacher. 

All Maddison's friends could do was sit there not knowing how to react. The entire cafeteria is in an uproar over the fight, with some kids shocked and some of them laughing, knowing the reputation Maddison has. It will surely be what all of the kids are talking about throughout the rest of the day. Beca and Maddison are escorted to the principal's office, with Sarah accompanying them in order to get the full jist of what happened. Since Sarah's mother Mary is a teacher at the school, they called her down to talk with Sarah about the situation. 

Sarah is upset and in tears at this point, not knowing how much trouble Beca is in, and what will happen once the truth of what has been happening is out. She figures the girls will be suspended for fighting, but what else will happen is unknown. While Beca and Maddison are in the back office with the principal and assistant principal, Mary comes in front office to find Sarah sitting there crying. Mary gives her daughter a hug, while sitting next to her.

"Sweetheart, are you okay?"   
"I'm okay." Sarah said, while sniffling.

"The principal told me Beca got into a fight with a girl who said something to you?" Mary asked.

"Maddison Davies called me and Beca names and we were going to ignore her, but then she threw pennies at us." Sarah explained. 

"Honey, does she do things like that a lot?" 

"Yeah." Sarah nodded. " It started this afternoon when Beca saw that she drew a Swastika on my locker." 

"Oh my God. How long has this been going on." Mary asked, shocked.

"About a month." Sarah told her.

"Oh Honey, you should have said something. I would have helped you. You don't deserve to put up with this." 

"Her family are Skinheads, Mom. I'm more afraid of what they'd do to our family than what happens in school." 

Mary wipes Sarah's tears away, and turns to face her.

"Sarah honey, I promise I won't let anything bad happen to you, okay. You will be protected and this will not continue. Dad and I will make sure of that." 

Sarah nods, while her mother kisses her forehead.

"Mom, how much trouble is Beca in right now?" 

"Well both girls will be suspended for sure. I'll call and talk to Beca's parents, and explain what happened. Maybe they'll understand and go a bit easy on her." Mary told her.

"Thanks Mom." 

The two girls were in fact suspended as they waited for their parents to pick them up. Mary talked to Beca's mother, Anita explaining what happened and that Beca was defending her best friend from being harassed. Anita felt terrible for Sarah and understood her daughter's actions. Still Beca was grounded during the time of her suspension, with the exception that Sarah could still come over. Sarah visited with Beca and talked to her on the phone, telling her friend how grateful she was to have a friend like her always looking out for her. 

Present Day 

In the car ride back Aubrey thought a lot about Beca and how she always knew the girl was tough, but could see that she had a big heart under that hard exterior, especially when it came to those she cared about. This has been a positive experience for Aubrey in getting to see her friends with new eyes, to see that their true intentions were good, and that these friendships would last a long time for her. 

Sarah and her father are at home. John is alone sitting at his wife's piano bench staring at a photo of Mary after her first performance with the highschool's orchestra. She worked really hard with the kids on all of the music for the performance, and they had fun learning together while Mary had fun teaching her students. This is how John wanted to remember his wife. At home in her element, playing music and sharing it with others. He let out a deep sigh thinking about the wonderful woman they've lost, and what he was going to do without her. 

"Hey Dad." Sarah said, coming in behind him. 

"Hey Sweetheart." 

Sarah sat next to her dad, resting her head on his shoulder. 

"I remember that night..." Sarah said, looking at the picture. "We rehearsed for weeks with that selection." 

"Yeah, I know it was a really proud night for her." John said, and Sarah agreed. 

"I really miss her." John said.

"I know, me too." 

Sarah would have to be sure and visit her father often. For most of her Freshman year at Barden, she avoided many of these visits for fear of talking about her mom and making him too sad. Sarah has since seen that her father needs her as much as she needs him. It is important now more than ever that they stick together. 

The girls have gathered at Beca and Chloe's place for dinner, while Chloe wanted to try her hand at some of her mother's recipes. She made chicken parmigiana with green beans and mashed potatoes. Everything certainly smelled good when their friends walked through the door, and the food was really good for Chloe's first try. It felt good to have what felt like a family through this group of friends, and to know that more meals like this one were sure to come. As dinner was going on, the girls talked about what's been happening with everyone. 

"These placemats are new, right?" Aubrey asked.

"Yeah, those are the ones we got when we went shopping." Chloe said.

"I like them, they look good in your house." Aubrey said.

"We didn't do too badly, I think." Beca said. "It was a full day of shopping for things to entertain with, and present nicely to our company." 

"Yes, you did very well, I'm proud of you." Sarah joked.   
"So how did everything come out?" Chloe asked.

"Oh great, it came out really good." Sarah said.

"Yeah, it came out perfect.You're a natural hostess." Aubrey told her.

"I have to admit, you are the master chef in our house." Beca said.

"Why thank you." 

Beca raised her wine glass while the other girls did the same.

"To you, Chloe." 

"To Chloe." they repeated. 

As the meal was finishing up, Chloe started to clean up and get things put away, while Sarah offered her help. Aubrey and Beca sat at the kitchen island speaking on more of a serious note. 

"So is the group counseling still going well?" Beca asked.

"Yeah, it's been helping more than I expected it would. I'm glad I agreed to go with Sarah." 

"At least niether of you has to go alone. I can't imagine what losing someone would be like, but I know I wouldn't want to go to therapy by myself." 

"It's been really nice to get to know Sarah more this summer. She seems really grateful to have had you in her life all these years. I've heard about how good a friend you've been to her. It makes me really happy to know you." Aubrey said.

"Thanks Aubrey." Beca smiled. 

"I do have a confession to make. Sarah did tell me about growing up your dad and step-mother." 

"I thought she might." Aubrey said. 

"Have you talked to him about it lately? Ya know, now that you're an adult?" 

"I don't know Beca. All of that is in the past. There's really no need to bring it up again." 

"It's a past that obviously seems to still bother you. I'm sure if you and your dad could get some time alone, it would be good to get it all out in the open." Beca said.

"She's right, you know." Sarah interjected. "Sorry, I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but she is right."   
"I don't know how I'd even begin. Talking to my General father has never been easy for me. He always liked to avoid tough subjects." 

"Look, I know the dad thing is tough. I had to learn to open up to mine after my parents split up, and as much as I hate to admit it, it was good I did and it really made me feel better." Beca told Aubrey.

"You really think I can do it?" Aubrey asked.

"If I know Aubrey Posen, you can do anything. Even if it's really hard and really scary." Beca said.

"Thanks." Aubrey smiled. 

With that the clean up was finally over and the girls sat in the living room to watch a movie. Night was a success and Chloe was pleased that her dinner was a hit. Aubrey thought a lot about the conversation she and Beca had, and knew that she was right. She couldn't avoid talking to her dad forever, and for her own sanity this conversation needed to happen. For now she wasn't going to think about it. Aubrey just wanted to enjoy her friend's company and worry about her family problems tomorrow.


End file.
